Chapter 357: Lu Bu: Xiao Yan Has the Potential of a Dou Di, Never Underestimate Him!
The training field of Lu Bu's estate in the Sacred Pill Mountain Range echoed with the sound of explosions. Crackling energy burst forth, dust clouds rose, and gusts of wind howled. After a series of pitiful wails and groans, everything fell silent.
On the ground lay Gu Yao and Yang Hao, sprawled out like salted fish, barely alive. Their once dashing Black Abyss Army armor hung loosely on their battered bodies, matching their half dead, disheveled states.
Their somewhat handsome faces were now swollen and bruised, their noses crooked, and their eyes puffy. Sticky blood and bodily fluids dripped down, mixing with the dirt caked on their faces. Calling them "dust covered messes" would be an understatement.
"Ah… That felt great!" Lu Bu rolled his shoulders and grinned widely, his spirits soaring. He felt refreshed and rejuvenated, as if all the frustration in his heart had been swept away. Even the sky seemed bluer than before.
"So, what's the reason you two came looking for me?" Lu Bu asked curiously, staring down at the two sorry figures on the ground.
We already told you... Gu Yao and Yang Hao rolled their eyes and wobbled as they struggled to get up from the ground. Though their injuries looked severe, they were merely superficial.
At their Dou Zun level, especially as high star Dou Zuns, not only were bruises and swelling negligible, but even regrowing a limb wasn't a huge challenge. Of course, regenerating a limb without tempering it would result in a weak spot on the body. It was better to leave it unregenerated than risk such a vulnerability.
"Cough, cough… Commander, the adult ceremony of our clan is approaching. We were sent to notify you," Yang Hao said, forcing a smile despite his pig headedly swollen face. "It's scheduled for one month from now."
Despite his words, Yang Hao felt immensely frustrated. As a six star Dou Zun, he had expected to at least hold his ground against Lu Bu for a dozen rounds. Instead, he had barely lasted a few exchanges and those exchanges had been his face receiving dozens of punches.
"Exactly," Gu Yao added coolly, though his pig like face ruined any attempt at seriousness. "By the way, our elders have sent invitations for you to visit the Gu Clan multiple times. Why have you ignored them?"
Lu Bu rolled his eyes. Without a major backer to rely on, who would dare step into the Gu Clan's domain? What if they decided to capture him on the spot?
The Gu Clan elders were infamously incompetent at dealing with the Hall of Souls but were experts at bullying smaller clans and ordinary humans. Lu Bu had no interest in putting himself at their mercy.
"Commander, what's your current level of strength?" Yang Hao asked with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
"I'm curious as well," Gu Yao said with a tense expression, scanning Lu Bu from head to toe. Despite being a nine star Dou Zun himself, he couldn't put up a fight against Lu Bu.
Every advantage Gu Yao had his expert spear techniques, Heavenly rank Dou Techniques, and Heavenly rank Qi Methods hadn't even come into play. Lu Bu had ended the fight with a single punch to the face, followed by relentless blows that left him looking like a pig's head.
Having experienced countless battles, Gu Yao couldn't believe that a mere flurry of wild punches had been enough to defeat him. There was only one possible explanation: Lu Bu's strength far exceeded his own.
The problem was that Lu Bu's level was obvious just a one or two star Dou Zun. There had to be more to this than met the eye.
Gu Yao's mind raced as he considered the possibilities. In the end, he came to one conclusion: There's a trick here!
"As you can see, I'm just a one star Dou Zun," Lu Bu said with a sly smile, spreading his hands innocently.
Yeah, right! Both Yang Hao and Gu Yao twitched at the corners of their mouths. Lu Bu certainly hadn't fought like a one star Dou Zun when he pummeled them into submission.
"Alright, since you've delivered your message, it's time for you to leave!" Lu Bu pointed toward the gate, unceremoniously issuing a dismissal.
He had better things to do namely, spending time with Queen Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian in the comfort of a warm bed. Dealing with these two pig headed soldiers wasn't on his priority list.
"Wait a moment, Lu Bu! I have something I want to ask you." Gu Yao's tone turned serious as he looked at Lu Bu. "What's Xiao Yan's current strength?"
"Why ask me that?" Lu Bu rolled his eyes and said irritably, "What's the Black Abyss Army's intelligence department for? Are you slacking off as the Fourth Commander?"
Both Gu Yao and Yang Hao winced. This is all your fault!
Lu Bu had spread rumors that Xiao Yan possessed the potential of a Dou Di, throwing the entire Seven Clan space into an uproar. Now, the phrase Dou Di potential was on everyone's lips, and Xiao Yan's name was being discussed in every corner.
The problem was that the information coming in was a chaotic mix of truth and fiction. Some reports claimed Xiao Yan had destroyed a Hall of Souls division, while others said he was skirmishing with factions like the Yellow Spring Pavilion or clashing fiercely with the Sky Serpent Sect.
The confusion had left the Black Abyss Army in disarray. Gu Yao decided to take advantage of this visit to ask Lu Bu directly and clear things up.
"To be honest, I don't know," Lu Bu said, frowning slightly. The last time he had seen Xiao Yan was during their battle against the Sky Serpent Sect outside Flower Sect. At that time, Xiao Yan had been at the peak of one star Dou Zun and was on the verge of advancing to two star Dou Zun.
Since then, nearly a year had passed on the Dou Qi Continent while Lu Bu and his companions were away on the Taixu Ancient Dragon Island. With Xiao Yan's pace of cultivation, who knew what level he had reached by now?
"You don't know…" Gu Yao frowned deeply. He had expected more from Lu Bu, whose intelligence was usually frighteningly accurate.
"I may not know his exact strength," Lu Bu said after a moment of thought, "but I can tell you something else."
"What is it?" Gu Yao and Yang Hao asked, their curiosity piqued.
"Heh… Xiao Yan has awakened his clan mark," Lu Bu said with a smirk.
The last time Lu Bu had seen Xiao Yan, he had noticed a strange mark on his forehead when Xiao Yan used the Flame Mantra Three Mysterious Transformations. It was undoubtedly his clan mark.
"What!?" Gu Yao and Yang Hao were shocked, leaping to their feet in disbelief.
"Why are you so surprised?" Lu Bu rolled his eyes. "It's just a clan mark. Without the support of bloodline power, it's only a fleeting phenomenon."
Hearing this, the two gradually calmed down. They weren't astonished by Xiao Yan himself but by the unprecedented fact that he had awakened a clan mark despite his bloodline being abolished. For a moment, they had feared that the Xiao Clan's bloodline had been restored.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case.
"But how did he awaken the clan mark?" Yang Hao scratched his swollen head in confusion.
Gu Yao's expression was equally serious, though his thoughts were much heavier.
"It's probably because of the Flame Mantra Three Mysterious Transformations," Lu Bu said with a shrug. "That technique was created by Xiao Xuan. Maybe it contains some special secrets."
To be honest, Lu Bu couldn't understand how the technique could awaken a clan mark. If other Xiao Clan members who practiced non fire Dou Qi couldn't activate their marks, wouldn't that make it useless for them?
The whole thing seemed absurd to him.
"Three Mysterious Transformations of the Heavenly Flame..." Gu Yao and Yang Hao's expressions shifted slightly, their hearts filled with shock. Xiao Xuan had been dead for countless years, yet he could still benefit his descendants in this way. For the first time, the two gained a deep and genuine understanding of this legendary figure.
"Moreover, that kid has a half saint alchemist helping him boost his strength," Lu Bu said with a mischievous grin. "Gu Yao, you don't have such good treatment, do you?"
Gu Yao's face immediately darkened, and a growing sense of urgency rose within him.
"That's why, when I said that kid has the potential of a Dou Di, I was absolutely serious. This one is dangerous and must not be underestimated!" Lu Bu said with a chuckle, emphasizing his point.
"I'll believe many things, but not that," Gu Yao and Yang Hao said, rolling their eyes. Don't think we don't know that those four words are just something you made up to cause chaos!
"Eh..." Lu Bu shrugged, unwilling to explain further. "Alright, the business is done, now get out!"
He raised a hand and pointed toward the exit, once again signaling the two to leave. "I'll attend the Gu Clan's coming of age ceremony, but there's one more thing tell your elders that I need two spots to enter the Heavenly Tomb."
"The Heavenly Tomb slots... Those aren't something you can just demand," Yang Hao said, his lips twitching, unsure of how to respond.
"Heh... The Spirit Clan's space is now sealed off, and the Xiao Clan is in decline. Surely your Gu Clan isn't planning to take all six slots for itself?" Lu Bu sneered. "Such domineering and unreasonable behavior someone who didn't know better might think your Gu Clan's name was the Hall of Souls instead!"
"Why don't you go talk to the elders yourself and see if they agree," Gu Yao said, his lips twitching as he avoided an argument. If only I could beat you...
Having concluded the discussion, Lu Bu no longer paid the two any attention. He directly threw them out, locked the door, and then excitedly ran to Xiao Yi Xian's room.
Unfortunately, Xiao Yi Xian was holding Qing Lin in her arms, telling her a story, leaving Lu Bu with no opportunity to approach.
Sighing, Lu Bu turned and went to Queen Medusa's room, only to find that she had already entered seclusion. She had even sealed the cracks in the doors and windows with spatial energy, leaving no chance for Lu Bu to get close.
Annoyed, Lu Bu ground his teeth and felt a strong urge to drag Gu Yao and Yang Hao back to pummel them again to vent his frustration.
With no other option, Lu Bu returned to his room to cultivate. The path of cultivation was like rowing against the current if one did not advance, one would fall behind. Lu Bu dared not slack off. Moreover, the members of the Gu Clan were no longer as they had been in the original story.
After being soundly beaten by Lu Bu, Gu Yao had worked hard to grow stronger. His current strength had increased by one star compared to the original timeline, reaching the nine star Dou Zun realm.
Yang Hao was the same. In the original story, he should have been around five stars, but now he was a six star Dou Zun. Who knew what level Xiao Xun'er's current strength was or how powerful the Hall of Souls' geniuses had become?
Cultivating diligently had become an urgent necessity!
Of course, balancing work and rest couldn't be forgotten either.
With only a month left until the coming of age ceremony, no matter how hard he cultivated, Lu Bu didn't expect significant progress. After all, he had only recently stepped into the one turn Dou Zun realm.
"Does this feel alright, my lord?" Qing Lin asked softly as her delicate hands massaged Lu Bu's shoulders. Her technique wasn't very practiced but still effective.
"Mm... Qing Lin is the best," Lu Bu said, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the massage.
"Hmph... Qing Lin, you spoil him too much!" Medusa said with mild irritation.
Nearby, Yun Yun and Xiao Yi Xian quietly read books, occasionally glancing over but otherwise ignoring Lu Bu, Medusa, and Qing Lin. Every so often, they'd look up for a moment before returning their focus to their reading.
"Hehe... Sister, it's actually kind of fun," Qing Lin said with a giggle. "Why don't you give it a try?"
"No, thanks. I don't know how to massage," Medusa replied flatly. "A real man should stand tall under the heavens. If anyone is going to do the massaging, it should be Lu Bu massaging me!"
"A real man should stand tall under the heavens..." Lu Bu stroked his chin with a chuckle. "So... that's why you like being on top?"
"You !" Medusa's face flushed red as she smacked Lu Bu on the shoulder, her cheeks glowing with embarrassment.
"Hehe..." Before she could retreat, Lu Bu pulled her close.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yi Xian and Yun Yun exchanged glances, their faces also flushing red. Pretending as though nothing had happened, they returned to their books, immersing themselves in the text. Other than their ears perking up slightly, they maintained an appearance of composure.
Qing Lin tilted her head in confusion, unsure of what was happening but feeling faintly curious.
"Stop talking nonsense... How do you plan to handle the trip to the Gu Clan?" Medusa asked, taking a deep breath to calm herself and steering the conversation back on track.
"The Gu Clan's coming of age ceremony isn't anything special it's just a bunch of kids fighting," Lu Bu said with a shrug. "If not for the benefits of the Heavenly Tomb, I wouldn't even bother going."
"Alright, then I won't go," Medusa said. "Elder Zhu Xuan gave me some seven colored gemstones. I'll stay home and use them for cultivation."
"I'm not going either," Yun Yun said softly. She now possessed the Spirit Clan's bloodline, and with the Spirit Clan's space recently sealed, her presence among the Gu Clan would be far too conspicuous.
"Then I won't go either," Xiao Yi Xian said with a shrug. She was already at the peak of seven star Dou Zun and ready to break into the eight star level.
The Woeful Poison Body didn't have bottlenecks in cultivation. As long as she had enough toxins and could withstand the poison backlash, she could continue to advance.
"So... it's just me and the young master?" Qing Lin said hesitantly, her voice tinged with both nervousness and excitement.
"Go, girl. Don't take the Gu Clan too seriously," Medusa said with a faint smile. "Your master once told me the Gu Clan is nothing more than a bunch of corpse guarding watchdogs, stuck in their old ways."
"Mm, that's true," Lu Bu nodded. He had indeed said as much to Medusa before.
Among the seven ancient clans, the Yao Clan was already a dying entity, destined to fade. The Ling and Shi Clans were unremarkable and not worth mentioning. While the Yan and Lei Clans appeared strong, they were showing signs of decline and would never surpass the Gu Clan.
As for the Gu Clan... as he had said, they were watchdogs clinging to their heritage.
Only the Hall of Souls stood apart ambitious, strategic, and with plans spanning millennia. Their power and resilience were unmatched. Even when pushed into a corner, Hun Tiandi dared to risk everything, consuming the Emperor Pill and forcing a breakthrough, proving his terrifying resolve.
Compared to Hun Tiandi, Gu Yuan seemed laughable.
"Of course, those Dou Di clans are still formidable. We can't underestimate them," Lu Bu said, patting Qing Lin's head with a smile. "Just keep a calm heart. Don't be overawed, and don't feel inferior. They're human, just like us, and not much more talented either."
"Mm hmm," Qing Lin nodded earnestly.
"I'll contact Elder Zhu Tao. Without his support, the Gu Clan isn't a place to go recklessly," Lu Bu said with a chuckle, taking out a spatial jade slip.
(Chapter End)
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